


I'm Proud of You

by Talinor



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Gen, M/M, THE KLANCE IS IMPLIED, broganes, broganes is the real focus here, the Final Battle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-04
Updated: 2017-10-04
Packaged: 2019-01-09 02:25:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12266997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talinor/pseuds/Talinor
Summary: Pretty much everything hurt. The tangy hint of his own blood settled on his tongue. His limbs felt heavy and sore.But he had to keep going.Theyhad to keep going.





	I'm Proud of You

**Author's Note:**

> I got really emotional about broganes and turned to mass effect 3 to vent  
> bad idea  
> horrible idea   
> this fic was the aftermath   
> enjoy!

Aching pain flooded Keith, filling his bones with overpowering soreness. Plenty of wounds he knew would leave scars made themselves very well known to him. They protested loudly whenever he moved the wrong way, or tried to breathe, or pretty much tried to do _anything_ but die silently on a Galra frigate.

Pretty much everything hurt. The tangy hint of his own blood settled on his tongue. His limbs felt heavy and sore.

But he had to keep going.

 _They_ had to keep going.

"Takashi," he shook the heavily injured body of his big brother that he carried with him. "Stay with me. We're almost there." Shiro met his gaze with tired half-lidded eyes. "The control room's just ahead. We get there, and this whole thing will be over." He looked to Shiro desperately. "Then we can both go _home._ Just a little bit longer." He reached out to hold the tattered remains of his prosthetic arm with the hand not occupied with Shiro's arm slung around his shoulders. "Come on. I still need you."

Shiro chuckled tiredly at that. "You don't need me." he said, voice rough gravel and crackling dryness. And yet, his limping picked up the pace. The flickering embers of life in his eyes relit themselves. The door was just ahead.

"Yes I do," Keith placed a hand on the door's console. It beeped in confirmation. "I always have." The door opened smoothly for them. The two battle-worn Paladins stumbled into the circular control room as quickly as they could manage. Keith only let Shiro go once they got to the command chair. He sunk down into it with a weary groan as Keith went to the main console a foot or so away.

 _"God,"_ Shiro said. "Feels like _years_ since I just... sat down." He leaned back in the chair as far as it would allow.

"Well," Keith tapped away at the consoles with ease despite the pin-and-needle numbness growing in his red-smeared fingers. His armor was pretty much useless now, but hopefully he wouldn't need it soon. "After we get this done, you can sit all you want. Maybe in Vancouver or something."

Shiro snickered. _"Vancouver?"_ he said with teasing incredulity. "You can go anywhere you want after this, and _that's_ the first place you think of? Not Paris, not Venice. _Vancouver."_ He let out an airy laugh.

"I've always wanted to see it," Keith tapped at the buttons a bit faster now. "Sue me." Finally, the console gave him a confirming beep. The huge window in front of them showed the arms of the ship opening up like a budding flower, giving them the most beautiful view he'd ever seen- the big beautiful glowing blue of Earth.

Keith grabbed a chair for himself and dragged it next to Shiro's left. He sat down with a tired huff. His battered legs practically screamed in celebration. He looked over to his brother.

Shiro looked at their home planet with a wide-eyed wonder. The light of it reflected onto him, casting him in a heavenly light. That wonder quickly melted away to old yet still strong admiration, like those married couples who'd been together for over 50 years yet still loved like the first time every single day.

"Quite the view, huh?" Keith said, leaning back in his seat.

"Yeah," Shiro smiled, almost managing to hide his wince. "Best seats in the house." He looked over to Keith with a sudden light of quiet contemplation. "Keith, do you ever wonder how it could have been?" He looked down at the floor. "How our lives might have been... different? If Voltron hadn't happened to us? If Kerberos hadn't?"

"Sure," he said honestly. "All the time."

"You know," Shiro's eyes returned to Earth, but his hand returned to Keith's own. "You're pretty much the only family I have left. Never had kids," he chuckled. "Though I'd be lying if I said I never wanted any."

Keith let their bloody fingers interlock. "There'll be plenty of time for that after this."

Shiro's laughter quickly turned into a coughing fit. It filled the quiet air for a few seconds, and each one tugged at Keith's heartstrings. None of them sounded good. Or healthy. His hand squeezed Shiro's worriedly. "I..." Shiro struggled to speak through it. "I'm... fine." The coughing finally stopped. "It's just... I think that ship might have sailed already." He looked over to Keith. "What about you?" He raised a brow. "Ever think about settling down?"

Keith hesitated. His own gaze turned to Earth. "...Yeah," he admitted. "A couple times. I don't think I'd be very good at it, though."

"Sure you would," Shiro assured. "I think you'd make a _great_ dad." Despite the growing roughness in his voice, he still managed to sound proud. "Think of how proud your kids would be." He could tell, without even looking, that Shiro was smiling right now. "Telling everyone that their dad... is Keith Kogane, the Black Paladin of Voltron."

Keith chuckled. "Yeah, I don't know about that," he said dryly. "Not everything I've done is something to be proud of." He looked down at the red-speckled floor. "But I think we've both earned a rest." His gaze returned to see Shiro starting to slump, eyes closing. "Takashi?"

Shiro moved back and opened his eyes again tiredly. He gave Keith a rough grunt to know he could still hear him.

He squeezed Shiro's hand tightly. "Stay with me," he said. "Just a little bit longer. We're gonna get through this."

Shiro's hand squeezed back. "You did good, bro." There was that tired-smiling tone again. "You did good. I'm..." His next words were a breathy exhale. _"Proud of you."_

Keith smiled. "Thank you, Takashi." No reply. Not even a breath. He looked over to Shiro worriedly. "...Takashi?"

Shiro's grip slackened. 

Out the window, Keith spotted the Red Lion getting closer to their location.

**Author's Note:**

> i'm so sorry  
> comments are always appreciated!  
> my tumblr: squishy--squish


End file.
